The Santa Barbara Independent

More than a Swim: Reef and Run Has Become a Santa Barbara Summer Tradition

Living By Christina McDermott

The friendly competition is followed by live music, hot cocoa, and good times for all.

California School Libraries Blindsided By ‘Catastrophic’ Budget Cut

Education By Carolyn Jones, CalMatters

The state budget cut $5.5 million for school libraries. That money pays online fees for student research materials.

The Art of Adaptive Reuse

Travel By Tiana Molony

Casa Iglesia transforms the former First Christian Church into one of downtown Santa Barbara’s most distinctive stays.

Santa Barbara Volunteers Help Bring Paintings to Life at Festival of Arts

Theater By Anya McCue

Two Santa Barbara residents help transform famous works of art into live theater during Laguna Beach’s annual Pageant of the Masters.

Book Review | ‘Agnes Lives!’ by Hallie Elizabeth Newton

Books By Brian Tanguay

A New York socialite searches for someone to kill her.

CAMA Announces Lineup for 108th Concert Season ‘Virtuosti’ — Live Performances in Santa Barbara

Music By Georgia Metcalf

San Francisco Symphony, Juilliard String Quartet, and Los Angeles Philharmonic are among the performers set to play.

Choreographer Gianna Burright to Premiere New Work at Baryshnikov Arts Center in New York

Dance By Jatila van der Veen

Music composed by Shio Tepper, also from Santa Barbara.

The A250! American Revolution Experience Exhibit

Fri, Jul 10 12:00 AM

Santa Barbara

The Freelance Beaver Detective Film Premiere

Fri, Jul 10 6:00 PM

Santa Barbaar

Art4Grief & Meaning: Expressive Painting Part 1

Thu, Jul 16 5:30 PM

Santa Barbara

Art4Grief & Meaning: Expressive Painting Part 1

Sun, Jul 19 10:00 AM

Santa Barbara

Asian American Film Series (Opening Night)

Fri, Jul 10 6:00 PM

Santa Barbara

The Freelance Beaver Detective Film Premiere

Fri, Jul 10 6:00 PM

Santa Barbaar

A&L “Misfits & Mixtapes: “Pretty in Pink”

Fri, Jul 10 8:30 PM

Santa Barbara

Carpinteria Arts & Crafts Faire

Sat, Jul 11 10:00 AM

Carpinteria

Trans Fund Drag Benefit Brunch

Sat, Jul 11 12:00 PM

Santa Barbara

Third Window Ten – Summer Beers & BBQ

Sat, Jul 11 4:00 PM

Los Olivos

The 2026 Sundance Institute Indigenous Film Tour

Sat, Jul 11 6:00 PM

Santa Ynez

3rd Annual Hanne Pedersen One-Act Festival

Sat, Jul 11 7:00 PM

Carpinteria

No Simple Highway’s 12th Anniversary

Sat, Jul 11 8:30 PM

Santa Barbara

Twin Picnic – A Picnic for the Twin Community

Sun, Jul 12 10:00 AM

Goleta

multimedia Stories

Santa Barbara-Based Musician Brayell Talks Bands and Bedroom Pop

Q&A with Breaking Tunes artist Brayell.

Brayell feat. The DreamHoppers: Breaking Tunes

Area artist Brayell and band jam out in the Santa Barbara Public Library’s Faulkner Gallery.

‘Love for the People’ Spreads the Juneteenth Joy at Plaza Del Mar

Photo

Families, friends, and visitors gathered with Juneteenth Santa Barbara on Friday to celebrate Black independence.

52nd Annual Solstice Parade Makes a Splash on Santa Barbara Street

Photo

A wave of fun comes to Santa Barbara.

Behind the Scenes with the Queens of BARBARA

Video

The queens of Santa Barbara–based drag show BARBARA talk about hosting their own local show.

Santa Barbara Unified Celebrates the Class of 2026 Graduation

Photo

The sounds of “Pomp and Circumstance” echoed across Santa Barbara and Goleta on Wednesday, marking the conclusion of the academic year with four high school graduation ceremonies.

Inside the Gauchos’ Big West Title Run

Video

Pitchers Kellan Montgomery and Jackson Flora share what the title means to the team.

Chalk One Up for Art in Our Schools

Santa Barbara’s most picturesque festival, I Madonnari, delights crowds at the Old Mission.

UCSB Arts & Lectures ‘Air Time’: The Makers of ‘Philip Glass and the Poets’

Audio

A conversation with Charles Donelan.

Talking with Culinary Storytellers at the Inaugural Santa Barbara Literary Festival

Video

An intimate crowd of food lovers gathered for the Santa Barbara Literary Festival’s Culinary Storytellers Panel.

Arts & Entertainment

ON the Beat | The Art of Beating and Bowing, On Parade

ON the Beat By Josef Woodard

Music Academy of the West’s festival shifts into full swing with two events on the recommended List — the Percussionfest and Friday’s Orchestra Series opener at The Granada Theatre.